Westminster a sea of blue and learning to increase autism awareness among students

Posted on 04/06/2018

April 6, 2018 (Brockville, ON) – Westminster Public School was a sea of blue on April 4 as students donned their school colours with pride in support of bringing more awareness to autism spectrum disorder.

Although World Autism Day was officially on April 2, Registered Early Childhood Educator Jessica Amyotte and Educational Assistant Lisa Goodwin at the school coordinated several activities over the course of a week to bring extra attention and learning to autism.

Teachers were given links to resources and videos to share with their students in order to spark thinking and learning, and then given puzzle pieces to share their thinking and voices. The puzzle pieces are now on display in the school’s front foyer. “The puzzle pieces represent the thinking that ‘we all fit together,’” explains Westminster Principal Amanda Nieman.

The school has also dedicated their student gallery to a “Light it up Blue” initiative, which is on display in the front hall of the school.
April 4 was their final day of activities. Students and staff dressed in as much blue as possible and talked about why and where they will be placing their new Raise the Flag for Autism flag within the school.

“One of the things we talk about at Westminster a lot is our slogan, ‘We are WEST in the world,’ and we work to highlight the fact that although we are focusing attention on one day or week in particular to shine a light on something special -- Day of Pink, Light it up Blue, Orange T-shirt Day -- these days serve to simply remind us of the ways that we should be interacting with and supporting others all of the time,” Nieman says.

Nieman adds that the school works hard to encourage students to remember the learning and thinking that is done on these special days and apply it 365 days a year.

For more information contact:
Amanda Nieman
Principal
Westminster Public School
613-345-5552